JPAG Practitioner's Guide 2024
The Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance (JPAG) held its latest meeting last week. The panel is responsible for the Practitioners' Guide, which is published to help smaller authorities (those with a turnover of less than £6.5 million) prepare the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR). Each year, JPAG reviews the Practitioners' Guide, and this year is asking clerks and responsible finance officers to complete a short survey to given feedback on the guide and make any suggestions for improvements. These suggestions will help JPAG review the Guide for 2025. The deadline for the survey is 30th September.
Click on this link to complete the short survey.
Use this link to access the guide relating to financial year 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025. Use this link to access a summary of the changes.
SALC website/member portal updates
There is a new topic on Powers and Duties, published within the Knowledge Bank, The Model Council, on the SALC Member Portal.
New information page on Suffolk Highways now published - click on this link to view this new page.
Guidance on managing payroll page now published - click on this link to view this new page. This includes guidance on best practice and payroll blogs managed by our Payroll Officer. It also includes a section of FAQ's.
.GOV.UK domains, publication of an information page - link to page.
Guidance on Planning information page now published - link to page This includes a recording and slides of the recent Biodiversity Net Gain event delivered by Suffolk and Norfolk Wildlife Trust. A model policy for Biodiversity is now available on the SALC Member Portal, Document Templates.
SALC training offer
Code of Conduct stand alone workshop - dates to be published shortly
Planning training - four webinars (will be available to buy on-demand after the live event) - Click on this link to view the dates and content of each webinar, including booking your place(s).
Model Financial Regulations
NALC have pre-released the model Financial Regulations on 7th May 2024 to County Associations, which they will be officially publishing for use by councils this week on the NALC website. SALC have decided to circulate the pre-release version purely as advance information, but recommend councils await the final version before adoption in case there are any final changes.
Click on this link to view the pre-release Model Financial Regulations.
NALC Legal Topic Notes/legal briefings
(these can be downloaded from your member portal)
Legal Topic Note 79 Pensions (auto-enrolment) has been updated to make the content more readable and relevant and link to useful guidance.
Legal Topic Note 22 disciplinary and grievance arrangements in local councils has been updated.
Legal Topic Not 23 health and safety has been updated.
These new versions have been updated and with refreshed content, and the notes contain links to practical expert guidance. Visit the SALC Member Portal and go to the NALC Legal Topic note/Legal Briefings card to view/download these latest versions.
Following the announcement by the Prime Minister of a general election for 4th July 2024, The code of recommended practice on Local Authority publicity (England)/publicity during the pre-election period has been updated by NALC, L01-24. Click on this link to view/download
Publications
SALC has published the latest e-newsletter 'The Local Councillor'. click on this link to view our new webpage to view the latest news from SALC.
NALC have published the 2024 The Good Councillor Guide. A copy can be downloaded from the SALC member portal by selecting the Model Council Knowledgebase card and selecting Appendix 3 E-books and publications.
Salary awards 2024-25
On 15th July, SLCC published an update. For the offer to be confirmed, the majority of the unioins need to accept it, and that has not been achieved yet. Click on this link to view the NEWS blog by SLCC.
On 30th May, SLCC published an update to confirm that there have now been responses from the three NJC Trade Unions following the below full and final offer. Click on this link to view the updated SALC NEWS blog.
The employers’ side have today put the following “full and final” offer to the NJC unions:
- With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of £1,290 (pro rata for part-time employees) to be paid as a consolidated, permanent addition on all NJC pay points 2 to 43 inclusive.
- With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on all pay points in grades 44 – 62.
All other aspects of the unions pay claim are rejected.
Following receipt of the unions pay claim on 29 February, they say that they consulted councils and then met initially on 16 April to discuss the key themes to come out of those sessions. They then adjourned for private political discussions before reconvening and making this offer today.
This offer is made with the aim of achieving an early settlement. The unions will now determine their response.